Smile For Me
by ChibiValshe
Summary: Love was never easy, especially when it came to Minako. (KenxMinako)
1. Warmth

A/N: Dat shota love.

* * *

It was so hot that day...the air conditioning had broken down in the dorm, and even though Mitsuru had made several calls concerning its repair, the members of SEES were feeling it. Koromaru had taken to lying on the kitchen floor with his tongue hanging out, Akihiko was sitting in front of a fan with a cross look on his face since all it did was stir the hot air around, and Junpei had even resorted to sticking his head in the freezer for a few seconds before Yukari told him off.

"Ugh, this heat is unbearable!" she whined, throwing her hands up in frustration. "If I stay here any longer, I'm gonna go crazy."

"The Mandragora has an AC, you know," said Ken, looking up from the book he was reading. "You can always go there."

Yukari considered this for a moment before brightening. "Then it's settled. Let's go!" she chirped. "Junpei's paying for drinks!" she added, dragging said classmate by the arm.

"Wha-hey! Why do I hafta pay?!" he fumed, but nobody paid attention to him.

As everyone clamored for the door, Fuuka stayed behind after noticing Ken hadn't moved. "Would you like to join us, Ken-kun?" she asked kindly.

He shook his head. "I'm not really into karaoke. I'll stay here," he replied.

"All right," she said hesitantly before shutting the front door behind her.

It was quiet save for Koromaru's panting, and now that everyone was gone, the temperature in the dorm was slightly more bearable. Ken sighed and went back to the book he was reading, but his mind was elsewhere. Several minutes passed by until Ken noticed that he had been reading the same paragraph over and over without taking in any of its meaning.

He supposed the source of his anxiety was the very face of SEES itself. It hadn't been a big deal at first, but it was quickly turning into a problem. She had invited him out of the blue one day to Wakatsu, and he had fun then. It was a little strange, hanging out with someone six years his senior, but if it bothered her, she hadn't let it show. She was all smiles and warmth, so it was okay.

Ken didn't know when it started. Somewhere along the way, he had stopped looking at her as his leader and instead saw her as...Minako.

Even thinking about her name got his heart pounding.

'_It's just a stupid crush,' _he told himself firmly. _'I'll get over it.'_

Not like he had a choice. Thinking miserably of Akihiko, he knew that he was way out of his league. She was too pretty, too popular...but sometimes, he allowed himself to imagine what it would be like if he and Minako started dating during his few moments of weakness. These fantasies were always short-lived, however, and he didn't dare get his hopes up, not when his chances were so woefully bleak.

Not when she lived in the same dorm as reigning boxing _champion_ Akihiko Sanada.

"Crud!" he yelled angrily, slamming down his book on the table in a fit of frustration.

"Hey now, what did that poor book ever do to you?" asked a familiar voice that made Ken jump nearly out of his skin.

He whipped around and saw Minako coming down the stairs with a magazine in hand. She was fanning herself with it, but despite the heat, she looked positively cheerful.

Feeling his heart jump to his throat, he started fidgeting, suddenly aware of how awkward his hands looked resting on his lap. His palms weren't sweaty before, but they certainly were now. _'It's hopeless,'_ he thought helplessly as she sat down next to him on the couch.

Minako picked up the book Ken had thrown and scanned the cover. "Hey, this is the book I gave you the other day." She grinned and lightly hit him over the head with the spine. "Geez, if you hated it that much, you should've just said so, Ken-kun."

He flushed bright red with embarrassment. "N-No, it's nothing like that, Minako-san," he mumbled, taking the book from her hand and setting it down on his lap. "I actually find it very interesting," he added in his most formal voice. He thought he had rather impressed her with this because she didn't say anything for a moment. She just smiled.

"I figured you would," she chirped. She leaned back against the couch with a soft huff. "Akihiko-senpai gave it to me since he thought I liked books, but I think they suit you more."

At the sound of Akihiko's name, Ken's insides turned to ice. He slowly lowered his gaze to the book lying innocently on his lap and was seized with a strong desire to rip it to shreds.

And burn it.

Maybe step on it for good measure.

Minako didn't notice and continued babbling, but Ken was no longer listening. He was too busy devising Akihiko's demise, all unpleasant and humiliating with Minako at his side. Jealousy was a vicious thing, as Ken would later realize. It made him think things he normally wouldn't, and nothing good ever came out of that.

"Ken-kun?"

Snapped out of his reverie, he blinked several times. "Huh?" was his intelligent reply.

"I said I was wondering where everyone is."

"Oh...oh! They said they were going to the Mandragora and left not too long ago," he stammered.

Minako pouted. "How mean. They all left me behind..."

Ken wasn't too fussed about this if he was being honest with himself. It wasn't that he didn't care for his dorm mates, but sometimes, he wished they would leave him and Minako alone. He remembered that smug grin on Junpei's face after their third outing alone together, and it annoyed him immensely.

"You could still go, Minako-san," he said quietly, then felt like kicking himself. Here he was basking in her undivided attention without having to sit through Junpei's snickering or Akihiko's cold stare, and he was driving her away. _'Screw this!'_ he thought angrily. _'There's nothing wrong with being a little selfish once in a while...!'_

Minako paused before shaking her head. "Nah. I think I'd rather spend time with you, Ken-kun."

He clung to her words like a man dying of thirst. He wanted to jump up and down, shout to the heavens in joy, and generally make a fool of himself, but outwardly, he just cleared his throat and said nothing.

Ken knew he had it bad. He wasn't sure when he had started developing feelings for Minako, but one of their outings to Wakatsu stood out clearly in his mind. The train ride home had been uncharacteristically crowded at that hour, so he wound up being squished against Minako as she leaned against the door. She hadn't seemed bothered by this in the slightest, but her scent was everywhere and it made his head spin.

He'd never thought of anyone that way. It scared him a little, probably more than he cared to admit.

"Oh, I just remembered!" she said suddenly. "I bought an ice pop the other day and I stuck it in the freezer." Minako stood up, carefully smoothing out her skirt and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Junpei better not have eaten it or I'll kill him..." She was unaware of Ken's eyes following her as she made her way to the kitchen.

She came back a few moments later with a big grin on her face. "Safe!" she declared, striking a victory pose with treat held high. It was the kind that had two wooden sticks poking out of the bottom, the kind of ice pop that could be split in half and shared.

The thought seemed to occur to Minako because she tore off the wrapping and handed a piece to Ken. "Here ya go," she said with a smile that made her ruby eyes twinkle.

He felt the heat rising to his face, and a part of him wanted to tell her off for treating him like a kid, but he took the frozen treat from her hand with a mumbled "thank you."

They spent the next few minutes eating their frozen treat in silence. Ken kept glancing down at her hand that was mere inches away from his own. He gulped after a while, gathering his nerves, and was about to close the distance between them when Minako spoke.

"Do you...like hanging out with me?" Her voice was small and sounded a little insecure.

"Of course I do, Minako-san!" he cried, jumping to his feet. Suddenly embarrassed at his reaction, he turned his gaze downward. "I really...enjoy these moments with you. I cherish them because you're...you're..." He felt his cheeks burn and found himself unable to continue, but it was all right because Minako was giving him one of the warmest smiles he had ever seen.

"You're important to me too, Ken-kun," she said quietly.

Later, when Junpei asked him why he looked so damn happy when it was so hot out, Ken only shrugged mysteriously and didn't answer. He had to make an effort to hide the smile on his face after that.

* * *

A/N: Not sure whether to make this a one-shot or a multi-chapter fic. Drop a review and let me know what you think!


	2. Heartache

A/N: Forgot to put a disclaimer last chapter. Whoops. Obviously I don't own anything because if I did, there would be moar Ken/Minako love.

* * *

Minako was popular, there was no doubt about that. Sometimes he would see her going into Hagakure with Junpei or into the Beef Bowl Shop with Akihiko (Ken had to take great care not to break whatever he was holding at the time). Occasionally, she hung out with people he had never seen before, probably classmates from school. They were mostly girls, thankfully, with the exception of an eccentric, light-haired foreigner who spoke in halting Japanese, but Ken didn't worry too much about him.

So it went without saying that Ken Amada felt a little lonely. Maybe even a bit left out. He knew it was a lot to ask, but he wished she would spend a little more time with him...

He'd be lying if he said he knew a lot about her. He did know some things, but it wasn't something to be proud of. Her secrets were carefully guarded, and even her smiles were mysterious. She was nice to him, but then again...she was nice to everyone. And he wanted to be special, damn it.

It was a little disheartening, but he hadn't exactly been an open book either. Still, he thought he might fan the flames a bit with a gift. He had been saving up for a new Featherman R figurine, but he thought this was a bit more important. But what kind of present would she like...? Flowers? Chocolates? No wait, that was the sort of thing someone got for their girlfriend...

She usually hung around Junpei, but he'd be damned if he ever went to him for advice. Just the thought of that self-satisfied smirk sent Ken's nerves on edge. Besides, Junpei had a big mouth. He'd never be able to keep a secret.

Yukari probably wouldn't be much help. She seemed friendly enough, but she was deadly perceptive. She'd figure him out in an instant, and Ken had a feeling she wouldn't be too keen on the idea of a ten year old courting someone six years his senior. At best, she'd probably look at him with pity. _'Poor Ken,'_ she would think. _'Unrequited love must be tough...'_

Ken sighed heavily. He was at the shrine with Koromaru, out on one of his nightly walks. The place helped him clear his head sometimes, but its head-clearing properties proved elusive tonight. Ken watched his furry companion sniffing at something buried in the sandbox from his place on the swing. It was a bit chilly, but he didn't move.

Almost as if sensing Ken's thoughts, Koromaru abandoned his investigation and walked over, placing his soft head on his lap, whining softly.

Ken felt like he was going to burst. Perhaps telling someone would take the weight off his chest. He leaned down until he was eye-to-eye with Koromaru and took a deep breath. "I think I'm...in love with Minako-san. What do you think about that?" he said quietly.

The albino Shiba Inu licked his nose in response and wagged his tail. Ken didn't know what to make of this, but at least he did feel a bit better. Taking Koromaru's leash in hand, he made his way back to the dorm. He took his time getting there, but the dog didn't seem to mind. He seemed to know he had a lot on his mind.

Luckily, the only one in the lounge was Aegis, which was a bit of a relief. Ken wasn't really in the mood to deal with anyone at the moment.

Feeling a bit thirsty from the walk, he went into the kitchen and poured himself a tall glass of milk. He didn't particularly enjoy the stuff, but he read somewhere that it would help him grow taller. He hadn't seen any results yet, but he drank it anyway.

"Greetings, Minako-san," said Aegis as the front door opened.

Ken choked and spluttered on the milk he was drinking and hurriedly put away the carton. For some reason, he didn't really like the thought of Minako seeing him with it. No doubt he looked more childish than he already was. Maybe if he was quiet, he could slip into his room unnoticed...

"Whatcha still doin' up, Ken-kun?" Oh great, he just _had_ to have milk down all over his front when she talked to him. Real smooth.

He quickly wiped himself with a kitchen towel lying nearby, but judging from her amused expression, she had already seen. Ken just wanted the ground to swallow him whole.

She surprised him by pulling out a soft orange handkerchief from her pocket. "You've still got some on your cheeks," she said. Minako began to gently wipe his face with it, making Ken's cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I'm not a kid," he snapped without thinking. He immediately wanted to take it back upon seeing Minako's hurt expression, but she didn't comment. His eyes lowered to a spot on the floor, and he stood perfectly still as she continued to lightly pat his cheeks with her handkerchief that smelled faintly of jasmine. After a while, he felt her hand still. Was it just his imagination, or was she lingering...? He dared a glance at her and found himself rooted to the spot.

Her face was extremely close to his, so close that he could count every single eyelash and distinguish the tiny brown flecks in her large, ruby-red eyes. They were swimming with something Ken couldn't decipher, but perhaps if he leaned in a bit closer, he could figure it out. He vaguely heard a small intake of breath and felt his cheeks grow warm. He was close enough to...kiss her...if he wanted.

"Your vital signs are fluctuating, Amada-san," droned Aegis from across the room.

And just like that, the spell was broken. Minako blinked and straightened, her bangs casting a shadow over her eyes. She wouldn't look at him again.

Ken felt his hand drop, which was strange because he hadn't remembered putting it up in the first place. Glancing down at it, he noticed the handkerchief poking out of his clenched fist. He didn't know when he had taken it, unless...he grabbed Minako's hand, no doubt having been caught up in the moment. Now that was an embarrassing thought...

"Um...here," he said, holding it out to her.

"It's okay. You can keep it." Her voice sounded strained for some reason.

"Oh. T...Thank you." He shuffled a bit, feeling uncomfortable. The atmosphere had grown tense all of a sudden. "Well...goodnight then." He didn't look back as he bolted his way upstairs.

If he had stayed for just a minute longer, he would have heard Aegis say, "Your vital signs have also become abnormal, Minako-san."

-o-

Ken couldn't concentrate at school. His mind kept replaying the scene that took place the night before. He buried his face in his arms and squeezed his eyes shut. His heart wouldn't stop pounding...What had that been all about anyway? It was all so confusing.

Someone lightly tapped him on the shoulder and he bolted upright. "Are you feeling all right, Amada-kun?" said his teacher. "Your face is flushed."

"I'm fine," he mumbled. When she went back to her lecture, he found himself getting lost in thought again, despite his best efforts not to. _'I've got to nip this in the bud,'_ he told himself. _'This is getting out of hand. Besides...there's...no future for me and Minako-san.'_

No future...now that really stung.

Maybe he would have to settle being her friend, even if it hurt. And if she ever saw fit to show him a little kindness every once in a while, then that was okay. It sounded cruel to his aching heart, but he would learn to cope. At least he hoped so.

Then he thought of Akihiko and his heart clenched.

It wasn't as if there had always been bad blood between them. In fact, Ken had admired him at first. The upperclassman was everything Ken wanted to be: strong, brave, and most importantly, he was tall. He always seemed so focused on whatever task was at hand, fought well in Tartarus, and wasn't afraid of taking a hit. Akihiko was also fiercely protective of his teammates, especially Minako. Ken thought he understood where he was coming from. Minako was not only their leader, she was an essential part of the team.

When Minako started taking Ken out to Wakatsu, any camaraderie between him and Akihiko soured. Ken would see him scowling into his magazine whenever he greeted Minako in passing. If he actually stopped to chat with her, he could feel him glaring daggers at his back. Frankly, Ken was really fed up with his attitude. Minako was free to talk to him whenever she liked and so was he. By now, it was obvious that Akihiko had developed feelings for their leader, and a small part of Ken couldn't blame him. Hadn't he fallen hard for her too?

This had to stop. He couldn't spend his days pining after her when it was plain to see that Akihiko stood a much better chance at winning Minako's affections than he did. It was only a matter of time...

This seemed further reinforced when he got home. Akihiko and Minako were sitting in a lonely corner of the kitchen, speaking quietly to each other.

He wanted to throw up. It was too much. Taking two steps at a time, he ran upstairs and practically flew into his room. He slammed the door so hard he was sure the whole dorm heard it. The urge to scream, rage, and cry welled up inside his chest, but he forced it down. He wasn't going to shed tears, not for this. He had to suck it up and take it like a man.

Ken curled up on his bed and after what felt like an eternity of tossing and turning, fell into a dreamless sleep.

Once, when he was floating on the brink of consciousness, he thought he felt a soft hand brushing against his cheek. He absurdly thought it was his mom, but the voice didn't match. Besides, his mother had smelled like mint, not jasmine.

Punctuated by sniffles, over and over again they repeated, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

* * *

A/N: As always, leave a review! Until next time.


	3. Distance

A/N: The few Ken/Minako fics that I've seen always tell things from his POV. Not that there's anything wrong with that, so I did something different. I may not be the first, but I feel this would enhance the story a bit.

As always, I own nothing.

* * *

Maybe I should've left well enough alone. Then this might have never happened and I wouldn't be in this mess. It sounds cliché, but I mean it. None of this was supposed to occur, not to me. Especially not to him.

My future self before all this started would've told me that I didn't have to be so gung-ho and friendly to absolutely _everyone_ I met, but I couldn't have known. Not about any of this.

But he looked so cute that day at the shrine with Yukari and Junpei, and when I found out that he had lost his mother, my maternal instincts or what have you took over. Ken wasn't a baby, that was plain to see, but he still needed protecting. Besides, he needed a better role model than _Junpei_, so why not extend a hand of friendship?

Who would have thought that he would later need protection...from me?

I can't say for sure when it happened. Maybe I just figured he was the little brother I always wanted, considering my parents died before they could give me one. Maybe I just wanted some semblance of a normal life, the one that was torn from me all those years ago.

It must be tough living in a dorm with people who are a lot older than you. I don't think Ken knew how to behave around us, but I could see he was trying. He took his coffee black instead of dumping heaps of sugar and milk in it like I did because he said having it any other way was childish.

I think I liked him best when he let the kid in him out. Once, on a Sunday morning after everyone had gone out for the day, I found myself watching a Featherman R marathon in the lounge. I had turned the volume up since I didn't think anyone was home, but I was only a few seconds into the show when I heard rapid footsteps thundering down the stairs. Ken practically flew into the room screaming, "It's starting, it's starting!", and was so excited he didn't notice me sitting there. It was hard not to laugh.

"Good morning to you too," I said, amused.

Ken's neck whipped around so fast it was a wonder he didn't get whiplash. The mortified look on his face almost made me wish I hadn't said anything, but it only lasted a moment. I let him stammer and fidget for a few seconds before I interrupted, saying I secretly liked Featherman R too.

Junpei found us like that later that afternoon, cheering on our hero and screaming at the bad guys like a couple of preschoolers.

"Not. A word. To _**anyone**_," I threatened him, and as far as I can tell, Junpei hasn't told a soul to this very day.

Ken also liked to drink milk when he thought no one was looking. And I mean _a lot_ of milk. I had to keeping buying a new carton everyday just to feed his insatiable appetite. Maybe he wants huge muscles like some of the figurines he's got stashed in his room...?

Ken was awfully shy around me. I was kind of miffed at this because he didn't have much of a problem talking to Junpei or Yukari. I wanted him to warm up to me, and come hell or high water, I was going to manage it somehow. So I took him to Wakatsu, and I didn't take no for an answer.

If he thought I was pushy, he didn't say. He was very polite. I thought it was kind of adorable when he offered to take my tray after I had finished my food.

After that, I don't know what happened to me. I just kept wanting to hang out with him because hey, he was an interesting kid. I even blew off Akihiko to go out with Ken. Don't think he was too happy about that...but I couldn't help it. I like seeing Ken's eyes light up and the way he smiled at all my dumb jokes, even when they weren't funny. He was so smart and mature for a ten year old, so much so that I once jokingly said that he was an old man trapped in a kid's body. He just wrinkled his nose at that.

Maybe that's when things started to turn ugly. It was Yukari who let me know. She did it unknowingly, of course, but it stuck with me.

We were eating instant ramen in the kitchen one evening (my treat) when I let out a long, breathy drawn out sigh without realizing it. She gave me a devious smile and nudged me in the ribs, then said, "Aww, you're in love, aren't you, Minako?" She laughed like it was all one big joke, but I just sat there with an icy pit of dread sitting in my stomach.

Because I had been thinking of Ken at the time.

After that, I couldn't get him out of my mind. I tried to fool myself into thinking it wasn't true, but it didn't work. Nothing did. I was ashamed and disgusted with myself. _'Watch it, he's just a kid,'_ my mind repeatedly warned me. _'You could get into real trouble if you involve yourself with him. Don't do anything stupid.'_

My heart screamed back that it didn't care, that it was willing to accept whatever happened so long as Ken was by my side.

I wanted to tear out that traitorous thing and scream myself hoarse at it as if it had a conscience. _'Why couldn't you have fallen for someone else, like Akihiko?!'_ I thought, beating myself up over it again and again. _'Couldn't you have fallen for someone your age like a _normal_ person?'_

It was a terrible thing to realize. It kept me up at night and when I did manage to get any sleep, I always woke up feeling like crap. But I never let him know. I just kept treating Ken like I always did, keeping my feelings hidden. How disgusted would he be with me if he knew...?

But that night in the kitchen...he had been so close. Everything had gotten all misty and hazy, and when he reached up and took my hand in his, my heart nearly exploded out of my chest. He leaned in and I felt my body slowly doing the same. In some distant corner of my subconscious, my mind screamed at me that this was wrong, so very _wrong_, but I was too far gone at that point.

I might have done something unforgivable if Aegis hadn't spoken up. My rational side was relieved, but my heart was absolutely furious with her.

It probably confused him so much...I wanted to explain, but I was so overcome with shame that I couldn't find the words. Ken ran off after that, leaving me alone in the kitchen trying not to think of him and thinking of nothing else.

I must've looked terrible the next day because Akihiko cornered me after school in the kitchen and asked what was wrong. I tried tell him it was nothing, but he steadily held my gaze.

"You shouldn't have to hide your feelings, Minako-san," he said. Then he looked embarrassed and mumbled so quietly I could barely hear him, "I...get worried about you. As our leader, of course," he finished hastily. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt in Tartarus."

"No...of course not," I muttered when I vaguely heard the front door open. I looked up just in time to see Ken's stricken face before he ran upstairs and slammed his bedroom door so hard the windowpanes rattled.

_'I'm the worst...the absolute worst...'_

I canceled the expedition to Tartarus, just so I could try to talk to Ken about the night before. I didn't exactly know what I was going to say, but I couldn't just sit around and let the problem fester. It just wasn't in me. However, it was very late at night before I gathered the courage to knock on his bedroom door. There was no answer, but then again, I wasn't trying very hard.

I opened the door and found him sleeping soundly. I should've walked away and left it until morning, but my legs moved of their own accord until I was sitting on his bed. The moonlight was bright enough for me to see the fresh tear streaks running down his cheeks. My heart broke, and when I gently brushed my hand against them, I found myself crying as well.

Just what was I doing to him? He didn't deserve any of this...I should leave him alone and pretend our friendship didn't exist because I obviously couldn't control myself around him. But that wasn't fair either. Why should he have to pay for my twisted affections? I was at a complete loss...

"I'm sorry...please forgive me..." I whispered long after I had run out of tears. Then I went to bed with an aching hole where my heart had been.

* * *

A/N: I know this didn't advance the plot one bit, but I honestly felt this was necessary. It kind of bugged me that all the FeMC's were all hunky-dory with the prospect of dating a ten year old (yeah, I get the max courage), and I tried to convey the opposite in this chapter.

Let me know what you think in a review, guys! They make me feel super happy.

(Also, this is not pedophilia because it's just a game. I don't go chasing little boys in real life.)

Until next time.


	4. Longing

A/N: I don't own anything.

* * *

Four weeks, two days...that was how long it had been since Minako had last spoken to him. It wasn't like she acted completely heartless. She still said hi when she came back to the dorm in the evenings, but her smiles were strained and lately, she had grown faint rings under her eyes. Sometimes Ken thought he was the reason she was being kept awake at night, but it made him sick at the possibility that he was hurting her.

_'I'm hurting too...'_ piped a small voice in his head.

It was painful. Minako stopped inviting him to Wakatsu, which was a shame because he really enjoyed spending time with her. She would often surprise him into smiling, something that was difficult to come by ever since his mother was killed. Her laughter was infectious, and it was especially amusing to see her pushing her vegetables around her plate with a disgruntled look on her face. She didn't watch Featherman R with him anymore...didn't ruffle his hair like she used to...didn't do anything anymore...and it really hurt.

He missed her. He wished he could believe that he really wanted things to go back to the way they were, but deep down, he knew he would never be satisfied with that.

"Am I...selfish?" he whispered aloud. He jumped when Koromaru whimpered and briefly licked his knee. He had forgotten he had company.

It was getting late out. Ken sighed and motioned for the dog to follow. He didn't think Mitsuru would be too happy knowing he missed curfew, but he doubted it mattered much. Minako had stopped taking Ken with her into Tartarus, and it drove him nuts hearing Fuuka's cries of danger while he waited in the lobby. He wanted so badly to protect her, but she wasn't letting him.

_'Why would she?'_ he thought bitterly as he ambled his way back to the dorm. _'She has Sanada-san for that.'_

The lights were off when he got back. Moonlight shone through the windowpanes, but he didn't stop to gaze at the scenery. Putting Koromaru's leash away, he slowly made his way upstairs with a heavy heart.

He was surprised to see Junpei halfway there.

"Oh, there ya are, kiddo," said his dorm mate with a grin. "I was actually about to go looking for you." Judging by the sweater he was wearing, he wasn't lying.

"Sorry I was out so late, Junpei-san. Did Mitsuru-san send you?" asked Ken.

Junpei's smile faded somewhat. "To tell you the truth, it was Mina-tan." When Ken looked away at his response, he looked genuinely concerned. "Somethin' on your mind?"

"No...it's nothing." Ken could tell he didn't believe him.

Junpei sighed. "Listen...I'm a good friend of Minako's and I can just _tell_ when something's buggin' her." He motioned for Ken to sit with him on the stairs and Ken obliged, feeling curious. "She won't say it outright 'cause that's just how she is. I get that she's our leader and she's supposed to be our source of strength, but..." His expression grew serious. "I know she holds everything in, for our sakes. Especially the bad stuff..."

"She does?" Ken didn't know that.

"Yeah. I keep tellin' her not to push herself, but I'm not sure that's doin' any good." Junpei was silent for a few moments, and when he next spoke, his voice had grown quiet. "I walked by her room the other day and I heard her crying."

Ken felt really horrible now. "Oh..."

"I'm not gonna go pointing fingers 'cause that's just not my style, and I don't claim to know exactly what's going on. But whatever's causing this rift between you and Mina-tan...sort it out, okay?"

Ken's eyes widened. "What makes you think it's between us...?"

Junpei smiled humorlessly. "I'm not as dumb as everyone thinks I am. I've seen those kicked puppy looks you give her whenever she walks into the room. And I can tell she's been avoiding you too." He stood up. "To tell you the truth, Mina-tan always looked happiest when she was with you. I'm kind of jealous, actually..."

"Really?" A small hopeful bubble swelled in his chest.

"Yeah. Just...make her smile again." With that, Junpei turned and walked back upstairs.

"Um...Junpei-san?"

He turned around on the upper landing, hands in his sweater pockets. "Hm?"

"Thanks."

Junpei grinned. "No problem, kiddo."

-o-

Ken had been waiting for a while now. Everyone had gone to bed save for Minako, who had yet to come home. It was lucky he managed to find a time to get her alone. She had purposely kept herself busy the past couple of weeks as an excuse not to talk to him, but he wasn't having that anymore. He was afraid of tonight's outcome, but he was more afraid of their friendship being stuck in limbo. All these insecurities were starting to get to him.

The front door opened with a small squeak of the hinges and Minako walked in, not noticing him standing behind the reception desk. His heart unexpectedly started pounding and he almost chickened out, but he steeled his nerves.

"Minako-san?"

She jumped. Her head darted to where he was standing and she visibly paled. Sensing she was about to run, he tried a different approach. "Please...don't go. I...need to talk to you."

After what seemed like an eternity, she walked over to him in halting steps. Now that she was this close, Ken could see that she was trembling. He felt a stab of sympathy for her, but this wasn't easy for him either.

He gulped before continuing. "Minako-san...may I ask...do you-"

"I think I know where this is going," she interrupted. Despite looking shaken, her voice was steady.

"Oh..." It was hard to concentrate with the moonlight shining down on her. It made her skin glow and her ruby eyes that much brighter. "Then...does this mean our friendship is over?"

She looked surprised. "What do you mean...?"

He suddenly felt extremely frustrated, and every negative feeling that had been building up in him over the past few weeks burst forth. "Stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about!" he yelled. "I thought we were getting along fine, but you...you're so confusing! First you act like my friend and now you don't even want anything to do with me!" He felt angry tears blur his vision and realized his hands had clenched themselves into fists. "If you hate me...then just say so..." His voice broke and he couldn't continue.

He hadn't meant to explode on her. He had gone into this hoping for a calm, rational conversation, but he had ruined everything. He wanted to be an adult about this and yet here he was, crying like a child...

"I don't hate you."

He stopped sniffling. "Then why...?"

She glared at the ground and seemed to struggle with herself. "I...don't know if I can answer that."

"Why not?"

"I just can't, okay?!" she snapped. There were tears in her eyes too. "I'm just...I've got a lot on my mind right now..."

He took a step forward and was relieved when she didn't back away. "Minako-san...why won't you let me in...?"

"Because I'm scared!" she cried and burst into tears. "I'm so scared...of what's happening to me..."

Ken didn't know what to do. He felt around his pockets and pulled out a small cloth before handing it to her. This seemed to have been the right thing because she looked grateful and dabbed her eyes with it, sniffling.

"A leader's supposed to protect her comrades," she whispered. "Lately, I haven't been doing such a great job. I've been hurting you...and I hate myself so much for it." She sniffled again and looked at the cloth she was holding. It took Ken a moment to realize it was soft orange. "You still have it?" she laughed weakly, which turned into a small hiccup.

"Yeah..." He felt his cheeks grow warm, but he held her gaze.

"You're a good person, Ken-kun...and...I'm sorry. For putting you through all this." She dabbed her eyes one last time before setting down the handkerchief on the desk. "I've just been so confused."

He frowned. "About what?"

"Just...things."

"Do these things...have something to do with me?"

He saw her visibly flinch. "I..."

Ken straightened and looked directly into her eyes. "Minako-san...if I've done something...anything at all to hurt you...please allow me to fix it. Please..."

Her smile looked like it was on the verge of collapse. "I'm not sure that's wise..."

"So I have done something then..."

"No...it's just that I feel as if I'm walking into something dangerous. And once I go forward, I won't be able to turn back anymore."

Ken felt himself growing frustrated again. "I don't understand...you're speaking in riddles."

He suddenly felt himself being pulled into her arms. His entire face burned hot, his senses going into overdrive. "M-Minako-san?!" he whimpered. She was so soft...the smell of jasmine was everywhere and it was starting to make his mind hazy. "W...What are you doing?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. Her own ruby irises were swimming with the same emotion as the night in the kitchen so many weeks ago. Except that this time, there was no Aegis to intervene. He gulped.

"Ken, I..." She was getting closer, and Ken's heart felt like it was running a mile a minute. He squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation, but opened them again when he felt her stop as their foreheads touched. "I'm sorry, but...I guess I'm not the saint everyone thinks I am."

His mind had grown foggy. "Wha...?"

"I love you."

Ken's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and felt his heart skip a beat. He wasn't hearing that correctly...he just couldn't be. There was just no way...He had to be dreaming. And yet...

His lips trembled. "I..." _'Just say it,'_ his heart commanded. _'You're already halfway there...' _"I love you too..."

She blinked, obviously not expecting this answer. Then she smiled softly and squeezed her arms around him a little. "You mean it?" Minako whispered.

Ken nodded.

She giggled nervously and brushed a stray hair away from his forehead. "Seal the deal?"

He blinked. "Seal the-"

Ken almost died when she leaned in and ever-so gently pressed her lips against his.

When he thought back on it later, alone in his room and blushing furiously, he realized Minako had taken his first kiss. Then he kicked his legs and buried his face into a pillow, feeling quite sure his heart was going to explode.

* * *

A/N: Before I get any hate for it, I can assure you that Ken and Minako will NOT progress further than kissing. So don't expect them to play tonsil-hockey or anything (sorry, shota-fangirls, but that's just not my style). And they didn't just make out at the end either. It was just a kiss. Brief, innocent, and hopefully cute for those mature enough to know love when they read it. And they deserve a kiss, darn it!

I really hope I didn't go making everyone out of character...the story just got away from me.

As always, reviews are welcomed and much appreciated. Drop a line and tell me what you think! (And for the haters still out there, please be respectful. There are children on this site.)

Until next time.


	5. Happiness

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, you guys. This will be a fluffy chapter, considering all the drama I made these two go through these past four chapters. I feel they deserve a break.

As always, I own nothing.

* * *

The night air felt cold against Ken's bare legs, but he didn't move from his spot next to Minako. The bench wasn't particularly comfortable, but being so close to her made him happy, not just because of their proximity, but because of its implications. It was getting late, but he didn't dare mention it yet; he was having so much fun talking to her.

"And then I felt so excited, you know, when he summoned the courage to keep fighting to protect the ones he loved and beat the bad guys!" babbled Minako animatedly. No doubt she was still reveling in the action movie they had watched together a few hours ago, so Ken let her continue. It wasn't until she sighed and leaned back that he chose to speak.

"Minako-san...to be honest, I always thought you would choose Sanada-san...over me, I mean." He blinked, not having meant for that to come out. It had been bothering him lately, but he never wanted to voice his insecurities. Not when she was staring at him so inquisitively like that. Feeling shame burn his cheeks, he glanced down at his knees. He wasn't being mature at all about this...

She was quiet for a long time, so quiet that he could hear his heart pounding. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything...

"I thought I was going to choose him too at one point," she said after a while. There was a slightly sardonic smile on her lips.

Ken blinked, somewhat hurt by this. He _really_ shouldn't have spoken up. But then he felt Minako lean against him, dispelling his worries for a moment.

"But I was just fooling myself..." Her expression was sad. "Don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's a great guy and any girl would kill to be in the same dorm as him, but...he's just so..._cliche_." She wrinkled her nose playfully and sighed quietly. "It was almost as if everyone was pushing me to be with him, and if I had listened, I might have ended up with him sooner or later. But I don't think I would have been happy. I don't want to follow anyone's wishes except my own. It may be selfish, but I don't want to meet everybody's expectations. I'll forge my own path."

"So you chose me?" Ken said. He scooted closer, basking in her warmth.

"My heart won out in the end," she stated bluntly, then blushed faintly at her statement. She kept going, however. "Logic kept telling me to put an end to these feelings of mine, but...I took the plunge. And you were there...so maybe I wasn't crazy after all." She turned to him, and he was surprised to see she had tears in her eyes. "I had a really hard time with it for a while...I lost sleep and kept turning it over in my head late at night..."

"This has to do with the age difference between us." It wasn't a question. He knew he was right when he saw her eyes darken a little.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Ken-kun...I'm still a little scared. I don't know how this will turn out for either of us and I don't want anything bad to happen..." She inhaled shakily, looking distraught.

In a burst of courage, he reached out and took one of her hands into his own. They trembled slightly in his grip. "Then...we'll face these fears one day at a time. Together. Is that okay?" His voice had fallen to a whisper.

A weak smile cleared her expression. "Yeah."

"Don't worry," he said, offering one of his own. "I'm scared too. But that doesn't mean I won't try my best for both of us. What we have right now is...very important to me, you see." He blushed a little and squeezed her hand. "I'll stay by your side, no matter what happens." Ken suddenly felt nervous, and found that he couldn't meet her eyes. "I mean, after all...you're very precious to me...because I...I lo-"

Minako cut him off with a quick kiss to his forehead, and when she pulled away, he noticed she was blushing just as hard as he was. He gulped slightly when she giggled a bit and shyly pressed her forehead to his. It brought back memories of that fateful night at the dorm. He could tell she was remembering them too.

She smelled really nice, like oranges and something flowery. His cheeks flushed brighter at their close proximity, but he held his ground. He was supposed to kiss her, right...? He tilted his head and felt her breath catch in anticipation, so he must've been doing the right thing.

Just when their lips had barely brushed against each other, rapid footsteps coming up the stairs to the shrine broke them apart.

"Damn," Minako hissed, looking extremely annoyed. Ken shared her sentiments exactly.

It turned out to be a nightly jogger catching her breath at the top of the steps, and she didn't seem to notice them sitting on the bench. After a moment, she turned and ran back down, her footsteps fading into the night.

Mood now ruined, Ken got up, stretching. "We should go back. Everyone will worry if we don't."

"Yeah, okay," Minako said, looking disappointed. Her expression cleared after a moment and she smiled down at him. "Wanna hold hands on the way back?"

He couldn't say no to a request like that, so he spent the walk to the dorm with his face resembling the color of a cherry. Her hands were really warm...

-o-

The very knowledge that he had beaten the odds and was now Minako's boyfriend acted like a talisman in Ken's heart. Nothing could ruin his mood, and he was positively over the moon. He didn't bother trying to hide it and even smiled at Akihiko in passing (albeit smugly). It was very satisfying watching the upperclassman flounder around thinking he still had a shot at Minako's affections when they lay elsewhere.

He'd never had a girlfriend before, and even though Minako seemed content to simply be with him, he wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do. Was he supposed to buy her flowers or take her on dates? Did she like sweet things? Should he kiss her more often? He read up on the subject of dating in shoujo manga (solely for reference, of course), but much to his dismay, every male lead was tall, good-looking, and always knew exactly what to say to send the female protagonists into a blushing stupor.

It was mildly depressing at first, but then he found that it didn't really matter. Minako seemed to find his short stature to be cute and didn't seem to mind that he sometimes stumbled over his sentences and occasionally forgot to tie his shoelaces. He still drank a lot of milk to make himself grow taller, though. As much as he enjoyed her attention, he didn't think he liked getting his cheeks pinched so much.

And even though she was still quite busy and popular, he found himself running into her more and more often. He'd be eating ramen in Hagakure by himself after school, only to find her sitting in the stool next to him, grinning. Once, while browsing in the comic book store, he nearly had a heart attack when he felt a pair of warm, soft hands that smelled faintly of jasmine cover his eyes all of a sudden. In fact, he was starting to suspect she was actually ditching her club activities to see him sometimes.

"Your grades aren't slipping, are they, Minako-san?" he asked her one morning over breakfast.

"Aww, you sound like an old man I met on the street the other day," Minako said with a laugh. "I got lost because I thought I could take a shortcut and asked him how to get back to the school and he lectured me so bad for being tardy."

"Don't call me old."

"Whatever you say, grandpa."

It wasn't until later that he realized she never answered his question.

Around their fellow dorm mates, Minako treated him just as she always did. She was still quite friendly, cheerful, and liked to ruffle his hair sometimes. Everyone seemed to take it in stride that they were talking to each other again, except maybe for Akihiko. He still shot Ken dirty looks whenever he heard them laugh together at a joke Minako said, but it didn't bother him at all. The upperclassman ran through their Tartarus expeditions with a scowl set onto his face when he saw Minako bring Ken along.

Ken was no fool, however. He couldn't exactly rub his new relationship in Akihiko's face, though he did want to and very badly at that. He knew their circumstances were different, that people would look down at them with disgust if they knew, and he couldn't stand the thought of anyone looking at Minako that way, not when he knew just how wonderful of a person she was. She didn't deserve that.

And even though he didn't expect her to scream her feelings for him from the rooftops, he had hoped she would show just a little affection. Once, he tried holding her hand in public, but was hurt when she pulled away, nervously glancing at some curious passersby. He tried to explain to her that perhaps he could pass for her little brother for the time being, deplorable as it was, but she wouldn't look at him. Her eyes looked a little strained and he didn't pursue the topic any further.

Acting like nothing happened between them proved difficult for Ken. Sure, he enjoyed being her friend, but his heart ached knowing that they were so much more than that and betrayed him on more than one occasion. He was pretty sure Junpei caught him staring at her longingly because he always snickered and said something stupid like, "Go get her, kiddo," much to Yukari's disapproval.

Minako wasn't cruel, however. Ken sometimes caught her glancing at him over the cover of her magazine, bright ruby eyes bashful and twinkling. When she smiled at him, her expression carried a warmth that was reserved solely for him and him alone.

When they were alone, their activities varied. Some days, they talked about nothing and everything, and other days were spent in silence. She was very affectionate and let him lay his head on her lap while she brushed his hair with her fingers. Hugs came often, though they usually ended up as tickle fights. Ken enjoyed every moment with her immensely.

"Minako-san...what do you like best in this world? Like what's your favorite thing?" he asked her one day. Her bed was soft and smelled like her, and the way her fingers brushed against his scalp was very soothing. He knew he'd get into some serious trouble if anyone poked their head in since he wasn't supposed to be inside Minako's room in the first place, but it was hard to leave.

"You," she answered without missing a beat. She grinned down at him.

"That's not what I meant!" he retorted, blushing furiously. He glanced away, finding that he couldn't look at her anymore. "I heard on TV that a lot of high school girls are into fashion and sweet stuff, like candy and pastries."

"I do like those things," she said simply. "But I don't like them nearly as much as you."

"K...Knock it off! You're just teasing me..." he huffed, sitting up. He was secretly pleased despite what he said and hid the small smile forming on his lips. He felt the mattress shift and then she was there, head resting on his shoulder. He leaned back, feeling very warm and peaceful inside. It made his head a little fuzzy.

Ken sighed quietly and placed a hand over hers. He was surprised by his own daring, but relaxed when she intertwined their fingers and squeezed gently.

He hadn't known real happiness since his mother died, but being this close to Minako made him forget how angry and sad he was about her death. Still, even though he had made his peace with Shinjiro lying comatose on that hospital bed, he had a few regrets.

He used to hate how close Minako had been to him, the way her eyes lit up when she saw him slouching in a corner, and how happy she looked when she convinced him to cook for everyone. When he saw them in the lounge together, it made him hate Shinjiro that much more.

But things were different now. Minako bore no ill will to Ken's involvement in that whole fiasco, and looking back on things, no matter how much she must have liked Shinjiro, platonically or not, Ken was quite sure she had never looked at him with that much affection and happiness, having saved those glances for Ken. As far as he was concerned, Minako and Aragaki had never pursued a romantic relationship together.

Still, Ken wanted to grow up quickly for her, and prove once and for all that he was a man worthy to be by her side. He wished to stand tall and proud next to her, hands linked without fear of repercussion. Maybe it was silly to think that way, but he couldn't help it.

"Is it okay if I just call you...Minako?" he asked timidly, then felt his cheeks warm. "I mean...considering the circumstances, of course."

"Sure you can," came her sleepy reply.

Ken smiled. "Okay."

After a few more minutes, it was clear that Minako needed to go to bed. After coaxing her under the covers and tucking her in, he stared down at her, feeling his heart swell with emotion. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to kiss her goodnight or not, but after a few moments of intense deliberation, he quickly and clumsily planted one right on her forehead before bolting from the room, his face rivaling the color of her headphones lying innocently on her bedside table.

* * *

A/N: Decided to end it on a cute note. Show your support with a review! I'd really like to know what you think.

Until next time.


	6. Disquietude

A/N: This was really hard to write for some reason. I tried to give some insight into Minako's mind and this was the result. Hopefully no one was too out of character here.

As always, I own nothing (but I sure wish I did).

* * *

Something was happening to me. It wasn't bad, not really, but I was changing. Everything seemed so wonderful and the feelings inside my heart were euphoric. I wanted to jump up and down and sing in a vain attempt to express them somehow, but I didn't want to look like a dork, so I refrained. Still, something must have shown because everyone noticed, even Junpei.

"You're lookin' bright and cheery, aren't you, Mina-tan?" He grinned and patted my back over a bowl of Hagakure ramen. "I haven't seen you this happy in ages! What happened? Did you win the lotto or something?"

"Close," I answered. I ignored the next billion questions that bombarded me with a smile.

The truth was, I had gone beyond the realm of ordinary happiness and found something...well, special. I don't know what else to call it. But whatever it was, I was absolutely drunk with it.

"Arisato, I've had a talk with your instructors, and your grades aren't up to your usual standard," said Mitsuru with a stern look. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared me down. "Is something troubling you?"

"Not really..." Actually, I really didn't care if my grades were suffering. I ditched my club activities so I could spend some time with Ken, but he didn't know that of course. If he did, I'd get a scolding so bad my ears would bleed.

Whenever I came home in the evenings, he'd greet me with a smile that spoke of so much more than friendship, and it became an elixir that kept me going through life with more energy than I thought I had. I thought how endearing he was, the way he tried so hard to be more like an adult and got flustered if I so much as held his hand. Secretly, I really liked how much a simple smile could affect him like that.

Now don't get me wrong-guys have confessed to me before (not many, but some). I'm sure they all wanted to be with me in some way, but I turned each and every one of them down because they lacked sincerity. I didn't want to jump through hoops, nor was I ready to commit to something I just wasn't comfortable with.

But Ken...he was so genuine in his thoughts and actions. He smiled like he meant it and when he hugged me, I could sense just how much I meant to him. It made me so happy...maybe stupidly so.

Some small part of me warned that I was being too reckless, that I was going to get hurt if I didn't get a good reign on my feelings, but I didn't listen. I was too in love.

Naturally, life decided to rear its ugly head, and let me tell you, it was one hell of a wake up call.

Deep in Tartarus, after what seemed like hours of fighting, we finally started to wear the enemy down. The Shadow growled, powerful and towering over us, a great hulking mass with the instinctual desire to harm me and the others, but it was on its last legs.

I gripped my naginata, hands already slick with sweat, but I had my sights set on seeing this to the end. I was exhausted, as were my teammates, but we were almost done here, I was sure of it. I could see Ken glancing at me through my peripheral vision and I smiled inwardly, feeling a burst of courage.

"_Once you see me in action, you'll be charmed all over again!"_

I glared at the writhing mass of a Shadow and tensed, dodging a swipe it made at me. Boy, was that thing ugly...better get this over with. I propelled myself into the air using my naginata and prepared to deliver a finishing blow. I might have been showing off a little, but hey, Ken was watching.

I hadn't counted on the beast to catch me in midair, though. The force of its giant fist hit me like a truck and I went sprawling to the floor so hard the air left my lungs in a great whoosh. I struggled to get some oxygen back into my body, and before I knew it, the Shadow was upon me. It was all I could do to lift an arm to defend myself, and in some distant corner of my mind, I heard Yukari scream and Fuuka's cry of warning. In that fraction of a second, I felt scared. Not for myself, but for the people I would leave behind if I died in this terrible place.

_'Ken...'_

The next thing I knew, I had been shoved aside, and though there was some pain, it wasn't the mind-crushing agony I had been expecting. There was a sudden flash of light before the area roared with a deafening boom not a split second later, and the air crackled with electricity.

I blinked. It took a moment to realize the Shadow was gone, and in its place stood Ken, Evoker still held to his head. His legs were shaking with the effort to hold himself upright. He slowly turned to face me, then dropped his weapon as if it were trash. Just before he flew into my arms with a choked sob, I caught a mixture of relief and fear etched onto his face.

"Is everyone all right?" said Fuuka quietly, breaking the tense silence. It was then that Yukari lost it.

"You idiot! You could've gotten yourself killed!" she screamed, and though she looked ready to tear me limb from limb, her voice broke halfway through and there were tears in her eyes. She stumbled closer to me before finally sinking to her knees at my side. "If Akihiko-senpai hadn't pushed you out of the way, you would've...you would've...!" After that, she couldn't continue and dissolved into a sobbing fit. Her hand clutched at my sleeve as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded while the other attempted to staunch the flow of tears with little success.

For once, I was at a loss. Words failed me, and I glanced over at Akihiko, who stood off to one side, nursing one of his arms. I wanted to thank him, but shame sealed my lips and I said nothing. He gave me a very intense look that was hard to decipher, but I was too tired to try figuring out what it meant.

I felt Ken's arms tighten around me briefly and I looked down to see him staring up at me. "We thought we lost you, Minako," he said, then sniffled. Luckily, he didn't yell. "We thought Sanada-san hadn't gotten to you in time..."

For a long time, there was a heavy silence, broken only by Yukari's quiet sobs. After a while, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders without a word and just knelt there.

"I think it's time we all head back," said Fuuka, and when no one protested, there was a flash of light and soon enough, we found ourselves in the lobby.

Junpei immediately ran over and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Minako, what happened?" he said. His voice was strained with worry and his eyes looked haggard.

"I..."

Koromaru whimpered and licked my hand. Soon, I was surrounded by my comrades, and in the ensuing confusion, I didn't answer his question.

The next morning, I felt sore all over. The sun's rays filtered through the window in my room, but I felt none of its warmth. My near brush with Death had seemed much more frightening yesterday, and now it was if it was all a bad dream. It didn't make it any less real, and though I appreciated everyone's concern by insisting I stay at the dorm for today, I grew more and more restless as the hours passed by. Occasionally, Koromaru pushed his nose into the my bedroom door that was left ajar for that very reason and kept me company for a while, but for the most part, I was on my own.

After what seemed like an eternity, I heard the familiar bustle going on downstairs accompanied with Koromaru's happy barks indicating that someone was back. Soon, there were footsteps making their way upstairs and when I looked up, I found Junpei standing in the doorway with a cup of instant ramen, looking somewhat sheepish.

I smiled, and he walked inside, sitting down at my bedside.

"Sorry I couldn't get you anything else, Mina-tan," he said quietly, and though he offered a small grin, none of the mischievous spark was in his eyes. "I'm not exactly the greatest when it comes to cooking, you know?"

I took the ramen from him even though my arms screamed in protest. "It's fine," I said, sitting up slowly with a wince. For a while, he said nothing as I ate. I wasn't really tasting it, though. Everything seemed so dull after last night, and he seemed to sense this as well. When I was done, he took the empty cup from my hands and placed it on my desk.

"Listen, Mina-tan..." he said finally. He stared down at his hands dangling between his knees and frowned. "I heard what happened yesterday from Fuuka this morning and...well, I think you should be more careful from now on."

I immediately scowled. Sensing the danger signs, Junpei held his hands up in defense. "N-No, I'm not telling you this just to make you feel stupid. Honest..." He stared into my eyes and I saw worry in them. "I don't know what made you think whatever you did was a good idea, but...as your best friend, I don't want you getting hurt. I know it's dumb considering we risk our lives whenever we go into Tartarus, but still...last night was too close of a call, Mina-tan."

"I know..."

"Don't give me that. You know as well as I do that you're our leader and well...I'd kinda miss having you around if you were gone..."

"Kind of? Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically without any real bite to it. It coaxed a smile back onto his face, and I was glad.

"You know what I mean," he answered back. For a while, we spent the afternoon talking like we used to. I laughed at every immature joke he said and when he finally went downstairs, our friendship didn't seem so strained like before.

Pretty soon, I heard everyone going back into their respective rooms, and in the ensuing silence, I was left to my thoughts again. I thought of little unimportant things, like an assignment I forgot to turn in the other day, how disappointed Rio looked when I wasn't able to make practice, and my ice pop sitting in the freezer. But mostly, I thought of Ken.

It was then that the full weight of my actions bore down on the atmosphere and left me reeling. I had been so stupid...and I began to break. I thought of what it meant to be a leader and how I had nearly let everyone down with my reckless behavior. Yukari was right; I was an idiot...

I sat on my bed like that in a near-catatonic state, frozen in fear of what could have happened, and I would've stayed that way had it not been for the tiny knock on my door.

Ken poked his little head in. When he saw that I hadn't moved, he walked in, quietly shutting the door behind him.

"Going to tell me off?" I hadn't meant to sound so harsh and he flinched. Still, I had to hand it to him; he didn't back down from anything, not even me, it seemed. He stood his ground and took a step toward me, but faltered.

I didn't blame him. It was as if Death was still hanging around. It clung to my clothes and poisoned the air, and I felt nauseous from how sick it all was.

I expected him to turn tail and run, but he did no such thing. Instead, he quietly padded his way over to my side and pulled out a familiar orange cloth from his pocket. Without a word, he quietly dabbed the corners of my eyes with a steady hand. When he was done, he sat down next to me and held my hand in his, thumb running gently over my wrist.

"I thought I lost you yesterday," he whispered quietly after a long, heavy silence.

Words failed me. Shame burned my cheeks and when I made to pull away, he clung to my arm.

"You don't understand...I'm not here to yell at you, Minako," he pleaded, and at the sound of my name, I stopped resisting. "It's just...I've never been so...afraid before. I never thought I could care about someone so much, not after Mom..." His words caught in his throat and it took him a second to continue. "I mean...I felt like my world was ending that night, but yesterday...it made me realize how scared I am of losing you." My heart broke when he began to cry and bowed his head. "I thought I could become strong for you, but I'm just a coward. I'm not brave at all...I'm not the man you want me to be and I'm not sure I ever will...! If you had died, then...!"

I cut him off by pressing my lips firmly against his. I tried pouring in all of my feelings into that kiss, all the words I wanted to say, but couldn't because of my own stupid insecurities. Something must have shown through because he relaxed. His lips were chapped, but he was warm, and I felt something stir in my heart. He was trying to be brave, not just for me, but for himself. Neither of us knew what the future held in store for us, good or bad, but at the moment, we were willing to forget, just for a little while.

His small frame trembled in my arms, and I held him tighter in reassurance. I loved him so much it was downright terrifying. He was too precious...and though I had foolishly tempted fate, I wasn't about to go making that same mistake again.

In the end, Ken ended up spending the night in my room. Even when his breathing gradually became softer and more regular, he never let go of my hand.

Once, I thought I saw him smile.

* * *

A/N: I tried to convey some semblance of sadness and fluff in this chapter. Not sure if it worked...

Leave a review and tell me what you think, guys! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time.


	7. Foreboding

A/N: I know it's been a while since I last updated, but you know...life, liberty, and crying over my lost free time. College is hard, okay?

I own nothing!

* * *

To say that Ken was tired was an understatement. He had taken to nodding off in class and was reprimanded by his teacher on more than one occasion, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He was, in every sense of the word, happy. A sense of warmth had settled over his heart in place of the reckless abandon that had taken hold of his senses when his feelings for Minako had turned out to be requited. It was almost like a calm, easing his still somewhat turbulent thoughts regarding Shinjiro's involvement with his mother's death, and his fervent desire to grow up faster for Minako's sake had dulled somewhat.

He wasn't sure how it started, but for the past couple of days, he had taken to spending the night in Minako's room. It was a stupidly dangerous thing to do, but he found her presence a sort of addiction. She was vibrant and cheerful, and their conversations were never boring. As a result, they spoke quietly until the Dark Hour had long since come and gone, falling asleep holding hands when they became too tired.

"I heard it was going to be nice today," Minako remarked after a moment of comfortable silence.

They were alone in the lounge, a rare event that Ken took full advantage of. When he held her hand, she smiled instead of nervously glancing around the room to check if anyone had seen. He was able to hug her freely and was even bold enough to kiss her on the cheek once, but he hadn't done it again out of embarrassment. It was fine, though; she took it all in stride.

"Yeah?" He smiled and was pleased to see the color in her cheeks darken.

"It's got me thinking...I mean, we have the day off and the weather's perfect..." She let her sentence trail, but she gave him a meaningful look.

Ken knew an invitation when he saw one. His pulse quickened. "What do you have in mind?"

Her smile was positively blinding now. "Well...I kinda...want to go to an amusement park."

"You do?" Her response caught him by surprise. He expected her desire for a fancy dinner or a walk on the beach.

"Yeah. Well...that's if you want to," she added shyly.

Ken felt his heart warm, and he gently took her hand in his. "I'd be happy to go anywhere with you, Minako," he said quietly. Despite his best efforts to appear calm and collected, his cheeks flushed pink. She startled him by suddenly hugging him tightly with a loud squeal.

"You should give the guys at school lessons," she laughed, rubbing her cheek against his head. "You're such a charmer."

Ken didn't know how to respond to this, so he settled into her arms with an embarrassed grin, secretly wondering how he had ever managed to find someone like her.

-o-

They hadn't told anyone where they were going, let alone when, and Minako had taken him to a theme park where they had little chance of being recognized. Her phone rang constantly, no doubt from the other members of SEES and her friends from school. Eventually, Minako got so fed up that she shut off her phone and stuffed it inside her bag.

"They've got no place here," she said at Ken's searching look. "I want today to be about just the two of us!" She happily ate a rice ball from the packed lunch she had brought with her before offering one to him. It was the first time he had seen her so relaxed and free. The slight stiffness in her walk had completely vanished in favor of a more bouncy stride, and the light in her eyes was brighter than ever. He liked seeing her this way. He only ever caught glimpses of it when they were alone together, and he sometimes wondered what kind of burden fell on her shoulders as the leader of SEES. This was good for them, he decided. It was nice to get away from it all, at least for a little while.

The day couldn't have been more perfect, bar one of the theme park mascots insisting on tying a balloon to his wrist. It made him look rather childish next to Minako, but to her credit, she didn't laugh at him once, which came as a bit of a relief. He didn't think he could stand being made fun of.

Minako was very affectionate during their date. She pretended to be scared on the roller coasters when he knew for a fact that she was a coaster junkie and only used her "fear" as an excuse to hold his hand. On dark rides, she stole very quick kisses and pressed up against his side. She seemed to enjoy making him flustered, and though he definitely wasn't at his most articulate, he certainly liked the attention.

"I had a lot of fun today," said Ken as they waited for the fireworks show to start. The grass felt somewhat itchy against his bare legs, but it was better than standing around on their sore feet. They sat in an area that thankfully didn't have many people, and they were all couples besides. They were all so wrapped up in each other that no one looked at them twice.

"Me too," she replied quietly. She leaned against his small frame and placed her hand over his. Ken's heart jumped.

Time seemed to stand still. He stared up at her, face quite warm, and though it was a little dark, he could tell she was smiling gently at him. "Minako...I—"

"I know." Her face grew closer, and as their lips met, he could vaguely hear fireworks in the distance, but their undoubtedly vibrant colors were lost to him behind his closed eyelids.

The train ride home was pretty uneventful, and their car was quite empty. They spent it in comfortable silence, hands linked and Ken resting against her shoulder, breathing in the sweet smell of jasmine. They took their time getting back to the dorm, reliving their day's experience and enjoying each other's company.

As Minako quietly closed the door behind them, Ken yawned and stretched. He was very tired, and seeing as everyone had already gone to bed, he was more than ready to follow their example. Just as he took a step towards the stairs, however, he felt Minako's soft hand close around his wrist, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

"I don't want this day to end," she said quietly. "Not yet." Her face was quite red as she led him over to the couch, and when they sat down, she immediately wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. She still smelled nice even after a hard day of walking, and the sense of freedom that had lifted their spirits still lingered. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to go to bed, tired as they were. He knew that this feeling would vanish in the morning, which wasn't something he was looking forward to. It meant going back to hiding their relationship, back to pretending they were just friends, and it was hard. He was tired of Yukari giggling into her hand and Fuuka's knowing smile whenever Akihiko talked to Minako, like they were so sure something was going on between them when nothing could be further from the truth.

He clung to her tightly, trying not to get swept up in his emotions and failing miserably. Ken leaned up and gave her a timid peck on the cheek, blushing furiously. He still wasn't used to initiating things, but his kiss seemed to set off a trigger. Suddenly, she was placing kisses all over his forehead and cheeks, even a couple on his nose. He was about to say something (though he wasn't quite sure what) when she firmly pressed her lips against his, and the words died in his throat. His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest, and judging from her shortness of breath, hers was too, but it was difficult to stop. His small frame trembled in her arms from the sheer intensity of his feelings for her, and she held him that much tighter in response.

_'This is...dangerous, isn't it...?'_ said a small voice in his hazy mind, and it faded before he could fully take in its meaning.

A startled gasp broke them apart, and when he turned towards the source of the noise, his insides ran cold.

Fuuka stood there dressed in her nightgown, hands held up to her mouth. There was no mistaking the horrified expression on her face.

* * *

A/N: I had to do it, guys. And c'mon, ya'll KNEW this was coming. The plot thickens!

Sorry this was such a short chapter. I don't have nearly as much free time as before and this was all I managed to get in during the little time I did have (don't hurt me!). Also, cliffhangers. I'm so evil, muahaha.

As always, leave a review and let me hear your thoughts on this! Hopefully the next update doesn't take too long (it shouldn't since I know how this is going to turn out).

Until next time.


	8. Misery

A/N: Oh snap, it just got real.

I own nothing.

* * *

Face drained of color, Fuuka's eyes darted between Ken and Minako. The whole atmosphere in the room grew thick with tension, and Ken, now standing and feeling his body go numb, waited for the bomb to drop.

In hindsight, he should've seen this coming. They had both been stupidly reckless the past couple of weeks, so much that it was a miracle they hadn't been caught before. He knew something like this couldn't be kept secret forever, but he had wanted their relationship to come to light on his and Minako's terms. Clearly that wasn't going to happen anymore.

"Fuuka, look I..." Minako's voice shook and he heard her slowly get up from the couch. A quick glance showed she was trembling slightly.

At the sound of her name, Fuuka seemed to snap out of it. "Senpai...we had been so worried when you wouldn't pick up your phone." She shook her head rapidly as if to clear her thoughts. "But I never thought...you and Ken-kun...!" Her voice faltered and she couldn't continue.

Minako stiffened, and even though her expression was curiously blank, her eyes betrayed everything. She seemed to be waging a war within herself. After a few moments, she took a tentative step forward.

Fuuka flinched and retreated several paces. At this, Minako grew frustrated.

"Look, I'm not going to try talking my way out of this because that would be an insult to your intelligence and our friendship." She took a deep breath before exhaling. Then she stared Fuuka in the eye and seemed to steel herself for what came next. "Ken and I are going out. We have been for a while now, but we never told anyone because we weren't sure how you'd take it. We never meant for anyone to find out this way, believe me." Her fists clenched at her side. "But...I do know one thing, and I'm not going to make any excuses for my behavior. I feel very strongly for Ken and I'm sure he feels the same way about me. So..."

Ken glanced up at Minako and found her staring down at him with a searching look in her ruby eyes. Without saying a word, he slowly slipped his smaller hand into hers and took it as a good sign that she didn't pull away despite the dire situation they were in.

"But he's...you're...!" Fuuka shuddered and hugged herself, closing her eyes as if shielding herself from an unbearable sight. Then before either of them could say another word, she turned and ran back upstairs. The door slam that followed moments after didn't help the ensuing silence.

"Now what do we do...?" Ken sounded childish, even to his own ears, but he couldn't help it.

"Wait till morning," she answered. There was no emotion in her voice now.

They slept in separate rooms that night.

When Ken opened his eyes in the morning, he felt disoriented. It was only when he sat up that flashes of the previous night came to mind, and he buried his face in his hands. The full weight of what had transpired hit him with the force of a truck. How could this have happened...? Admittedly, Ken had wanted to Minako to be a little more open with her feelings (especially in front of Akihiko), but not like this. He doubted she got any sleep judging from how hollow she sounded when she bid him goodnight.

Even though it was already time to get up, he wanted to go back to bed. But there was no putting off something like this. With a heavy sigh, he got up and began to get dressed with mechanical movements. How could he face everyone? Had Fuuka told already? He wasn't sure. Most of all, he was worried about Minako. Last night, she had looked as though her world was ending...

"Morning, kiddo," said Junpei with a yawn as he passed him in the hallway. When Ken didn't give so much as a nod, his face grew concerned. "You all right? You're not lookin' so hot."

"I'll be okay," muttered Ken untruthfully. Ignoring Junpei's stare, he went downstairs.

Breakfast was a quiet affair, but then, it always was considering everyone was always so groggy in the morning. Fuuka, however, was wide awake, and whenever someone asked her a question, she jumped and was prone to drop whatever she was holding. She nervously avoided everyone's eyes, especially Minako's, Ken observed.

So far, no one was treating them any differently, so he assumed she hadn't said anything yet. He felt far from relief, however. No one could keep a secret that big for long, and Fuuka was already showing signs of strain.

"Do you think we should talk to her?" Ken asked quietly. He gently brushed the back of his hand against his girlfriend's, who had been spacing out. He had pulled Minako aside to a secluded corner behind the dorm after breakfast, something he was quite sure Fuuka had noticed judging from the extremely uncomfortable look she shot their way.

Minako's eyelids flickered and she seemed to come to reality. "I already tried," she intoned. "I went to her room afterward, but she wouldn't open her door."

"Oh..." Ken lowered his eyes. "Maybe...at school then?"

She looked unsure. "I don't know...I'll give it a shot, but I'm not expecting a miracle."

-o-

It was difficult to concentrate in school. He wondered if Minako was sorting things out with Fuuka and felt terrible that he wasn't by her side supporting her. He frowned and buried his face in his desk. They were supposed to be in this together, weren't they? Hadn't he promised her that? That he'd stay by her side no matter what happened? And yet she was facing her fears alone...

Some boyfriend he was turning out to be.

When he got back to the dorm, Minako was nowhere to be seen and the lounge was quite empty save for Koromaru, who barked happily upon seeing him. He wasn't terribly worried since she rarely came home before sunset, but he wasn't in the mood to hang around either. It brought back unpleasant memories. After giving Koromaru a quick pet, he went up to his room and did his homework.

After a few hours of attempting to study, it became clear he wasn't going to get anything done. With a frustrated sigh, he got up from his desk and walked out of his room.

His heart leaped hopefully when he saw Minako sitting on the second floor landing, and was about to call her name when he stopped in his tracks. For as long as he had known her, she always stood tall and erect, back straight and faced life head on. Even when she sat, she never slouched.

Something was wrong. Minako was hunched over, fingers tangled in her already disheveled hair. As he came closer, he noticed her eyes were wide and unseeing. She didn't make a sound, and yet there was a steady stream of tears running down her cheeks. Every few seconds, she would take in a sharp breath that was not quite a gasp in what Ken recognized as a desperate attempt to hold back her sobs.

He quickly rushed to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but wouldn't look at him. He was about to ask her why she was upset when he heard raised voices coming from downstairs.

Feeling a sense of trepidation, Ken slowly made his way down the steps after a quick backwards glance at Minako, who hadn't moved. He stopped just out of eyesight, and after a few minutes of listening in, his blood ran cold.

"I just can't believe it...I just can't." That was Yukari's voice. It was low and trembling with anger.

There was an exasperated sigh from Akihiko. "Me neither..."

Fuuka spoke up, sounding hesitant and afraid. "I'm sorry...I-I didn't know what to do when—"

"It's all right, Yamagishi," interjected Mitsuru. "No one can fault you for telling someone, especially something like this."

There was a lull in the conversation before Junpei spoke up. "I don't know why you're getting so bent out of shape over this. She's got someone special to her now, so what?"

Ken peeked around the corner just in time to see Yukari slam her hands down on the kitchen table. "'_So what?_' Are you kidding me?! Don't you see what's going on here?!"

Junpei, who had looked impressively nonchalant before, grew visibly angry and rose from his seat, eyes darkening. "Not the way you do, I'm guessing," he said.

Yukari snapped. "Don't you get it, Junpei?! Our leader's going out with a kid! A _ten year old_ kid and doing God knows what—"

"What Mina-tan does with her life is none of your freakin' business, okay?" he snarled. "She's happy with him and so is he. I don't see the problem here!"

Yukari looked both angry and incredulous. "How can you possibly say that? It's wrong on _so_ many levels and...you can't seriously think it's okay for this to happen!"

"The way I figure, Mina-tan chose to be with Ken, end of story. Personally, I'm happy for them. If they want to be together, then I say let 'em!"

"Junpei, it's _sick!_ He's just a kid and she's—!"

"Hey, lay off 'em, all right?!"

Then it became a shouting match so terrible and loud that Ken only managed to catch snippets of it. He heard awful words like "child molester" and "disgusting" being thrown around before Mitsuru stepped in, eyes frigid.

"_ENOUGH!_" she bellowed, and her presence was so powerful and intimidating that both Yukari and Junpei fell silent, though they continued to glare at each other. Mitsuru took a deep breath and continued. "Under ordinary circumstances, this shouldn't have been brought to light as long as it didn't interfere with SEES operations. However," she said, shooting down Junpei's triumphant look with a stern glare, "it is obvious that something of this nature cannot be ignored and be dealt with using normal methods. While it is not forbidden for members of SEES to have relationships with each other, I cannot overlook the implications of Arisato and Amada's involvement."

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" muttered Junpei sullenly.

"It means that they probably shouldn't be together anymore," said Akihiko. His arms were crossed and he looked rather bitter.

"Before you say anything, Iori, let me get my point across," said Mitsuru just as Junpei angrily opened his mouth to speak. "My personal feelings play no part in this. I am simply saying that Arisato and Amada's relationship is affecting them adversely. Both are falling behind in their studies and lately, Arisato hasn't led any expeditions into Tartarus. I also cannot ignore that her behavior has been rash during missions."

"Let's not pin the entire blame on just our leader, though," said Akihiko. "I think Amada should be held accountable as well."

At this everyone fell silent. It didn't take long for Junpei to speak up, however.

"Sure you're not letting _your_ personal feelings come into this?" he spat, fists clenched.

"What are you trying to say?" growled Akihiko, voice dangerously quiet.

"Please, let's not fight...!" said Fuuka, glancing between the two.

"This isn't getting us anywhere," Yukari snapped.

"Takeba is right. Needlessly squabbling will not resolve the issue at hand," said Mitsuru with an exasperated sigh.

"There's no issue here!" cried Junpei. "Who cares if she's six years older than he is? I'm pretty sure both of them knew exactly what they were getting into the day they decided to be together. If anything, the rest of you are _making_ it your problem!"

Koromaru responded with a series of barks.

"Koromaru agrees with Junpei-san," droned Aegis. "He also says that Amada-san and Minako-san's feelings are genuine and that they are very happy together."

This brought another round of arguing between Yukari, Junpei, and Akihiko, and despite Mitsuru's best efforts, nothing could quiet them down.

Ken had heard enough. He crept back upstairs as quietly as he could and found Minako right where he had left her. She wasn't crying anymore, but she seemed to have gone into a state of emotional paralysis. She stared straight ahead without seeing, and when Ken brushed a hand against her cheek, her eyes flickered just the slightest bit. Without a word, he led her back to her room and quietly shut the door behind them.

She looked so lost and confused, and it was especially jarring to see her this way because she always seemed so sure of herself. In everything she did, she was confident and full of purpose, even in the face of adversity. But now...

Ken stared at her sadly for a moment before sitting next to her on her bed. Love was a strange thing, he decided. He always assumed Minako knew the rules, that she always knew what she was doing in their relationship, but now he realized he hadn't been the only one fumbling in the dark. He led her just as much as she led him. Minako had been just as lost as he was, and while he grappled with his insecurities, she cowered under her fear of their uncertain future.

"I still stand by what I said," Ken said quietly. She stared back at him numbly, but he could tell she was hanging onto his every word. "I know...they're your friends and that some of them said some really awful things...but..." Despite his aching heart, he took both of her hands in his. She was trembling slightly. "I'm not going to let that stand in the way of how I feel about you. Even if...even if the world turns its back on us, I'll still stay by your side. Okay?"

There was a long silence before she sniffled. A tear fell onto her lap, then another, and another, until her face crumpled and she began to cry in earnest. He scooted closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, vision blurring as well. He didn't care that his jacket was steadily getting wetter. He needed this, and so did she.

He waited until she had tuckered herself out before laying her down and pulling the covers up to her neck. She didn't have to tell Ken she needed him to be there with her. Wordlessly, he joined her and nestled his head against her shoulder. Pausing only to turn off her desk lamp, she enveloped him in her arms and held him tightly, as though she was very afraid he'd disappear.

Ken shut his eyes, heart heavy. He wasn't worried about getting caught anymore now that it was out in the open, but he dreaded what morning would bring.

* * *

A/N: ...Yeah, this was insanely depressing to write. It's been fluff, fluff, fluff, more fluff, then BAM! ANGST.

When I'm not crying about being friend zoned by Junpei, I always figured he'd be the first to defend the female protagonist because they're, like...yanno..._homies_. Some might say that he's a little close-minded, but I think that when it comes to his friends, especially Minako, he'd fight for her tooth and nail, no questions asked. And if ya'll don't agree, then he does in this story. Because Junpei is awesome.

Leave a review, but keep the hate to a minimum, okay?c: Tell me what you thought, how you felt (if you felt anything), your reactions, anything at all! They help me become a better writer, and to all you anons, I read your reviews too! They're just as appreciated as everyone else's, so don't be shy.

Until next time.


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